A Little Walk With God

A daily devotional through the Bible narrated as if walking through the garden east of Eden with God. Scriptures come from a daily reading plan that take you through the Bible in one year, generally coming from The Voice. Our website is http://alittlewalkwithgod.com or http://richardagee.com

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

Taking a little vacation with my wife for a couple of weeks. I'll be back with you on July 1st. Be sure to tune back in for A Little Walk with God. Thanks for listening and join me again at the beginning of July.

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

Devotional

The Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ

In Old Testament times, people were subject to anointing when they were called to the offices of prophet, priest, and king. For example, when Saul became the first king of Israel, Samuel the prophet anointed his head with oil in a ceremonial fashion (1 Sam. 10:1). This religious rite was performed to show that the king of Israel was chosen and endowed by God for the kingship. Likewise, the priests (Ex. 28:41) and prophets (1 Kings 19:16) were anointed at God’s command. In a sense, anyone in the Old Testament who was set apart and consecrated for a servant task was a messiah, for he was one who received an anointing.

But the people of Israel looked forward to that promised individual who was to be not merely a messiah but the Messiah, the One who would be supremely set apart and consecrated by God to be their Prophet, Priest, and King. So, at the time Jesus was born, there was a strong sense of anticipation among the Jews, who had been waiting for their Messiah for centuries.

In the psalm we read, the psalmist talked about an anointed king, but also talked about the coming Messiah, the One all Israel waited for to act as prophet, priest, and king. The God/Man.

Jesus fit the bill

Anointed, not with oil by a priest, but set aside and proclaimed by testimony of the Father and the prophets and the miracles He performed to the be long awaited Messiah

He didn’t fit the mold many were looking for

Political ruler

Military victor

Someone of wealth and fame

He was the One they needed

Savior

Redeemer

God, the Anointed One

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

Daniel heard God called the Ancient of Days. How does that help you understand who He is today?

Scripture

Daniel 7:9

As I looked,

thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was as white as snow;

the hair of his head was white like wool.

His throne was flaming with fire,

and its wheels were all ablaze.

Devotional

God, the Ancient of Days, what do you think of when you hear Him refered by that name?

White hair

Beard

Wrinkled face

White robe

Sandals

Seated on a huge throne

Looking down with wisdom on all of us

So much more than that

Ancient of days denotes eternal

Creator of all things

Creator of time itself

Before everything existed

Denotes wisdom

Knowledge

Fatherly compassion

Fatherly provision

Fatherly protection

Infinite power

Daniel’s description conjures up a picture of God for us as the Ancient of Days

Who do you see when you envision God, the Eternal One, the Ancient of Days?

Worship Him today

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

Devotional

God, the Amen, the faithful and true witness.

The word amen ("So be it; truly") is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. It is found in Jewish, Christian, and some Muslim worship as a concluding word or response to prayers. Common English translations of the word amen include "verily" and "truly". It can also be used colloquially to express strong agreement, as in, for instance, amen to that.

Go anywhere that is even slightly religious and you’ll hear the word. AMEN.

Not limited to Jews or Christians

Almost every religion around the world uses the term or something akin to it.

A declaration of affirmation of something someone has said or done

Agreement to words spoken or actions taken

God calls Himself the Amen

We see the word 30 times in the Old Testament; 52 times in the New Testament

Jesus uses the word in a way no one else does

Jesus uses amen before He speaks affirming what He is about to say, not what someone else has said

Only time it’s used this way in all of scripture. Every other time amen is used initially, it is used to affirm someone else’s words

Some translations render it, truly I say; in truth I say; verily I say

He affirms His own statements, a huge faux pas in Jewish culture unless you are God because then who can test you or fault you

He affirms His statements because He can, He is the Amen

We hear the word a lot in our churches, to end prayers, after supplications, even in what some might call the “amen corner” of the congregation

Do we then go out and live what we have just affirmed, though

When we use the word amen and affirm the words spoken and declare with the speaker, “So be it,” do we follow with our action or just mouth the words and let that suffice?

God is the Amen, the faithful and true witness

What He says, He will do

His “So be it!” means something. We can count on Him to carry out His promises

Today, you might have an occasion to speak that commonly used word, Amen. God called Himself the Amen. When you use that word, remember you in essence take a vow before Him that you will take action affirming the words just spoken. Worship the Amen today, the faithful and true witness.

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

Think about the name and how the earliest writers described Him and understood Him

The letter meant ox or leader, the strongest of their animals, which could plow their toughest fields, pull their heaviest loads, yet came alongside them to help them with those tasks when asked

Leader - the one who provides the resources to get tasks done. The one who provides the guidance for which tasks need to be completed in the first place. The one who protects, provides, cares for, and guides those in His charge.

First, preeminent, not just the first in a series of events or a line of objects, but first in everything

Even as the term has been co-opted in math and science, you see the power and prominence of the name, alpha radiation, the first particles released; the thermal expansion coefficient of a compound, how much energy it releases, the dominant individual in a pack.

Alpha - first in all things

The God we serve is first.

He will accept no other place in our lives

Worship Him today

Remember to keep Him as Alpha in your life

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

Throughout the Bible we read about a final judgment based on our actions during our life

Those actions hinge on our belief in Jesus, the second person of the triune-Godhead, the Son of God. God incarnate, come to earth to die as the penalty we should pay for our sins

If we believe in God, the Son, for forgiveness of our sins, He acts as our Advocate, our lawyer, our defender in the final judgment before God, the Father

We are found “Not Guilty” before the law that establishes the judgment for our sins

Just like our courts today, we are not found innocent, because we have all sinned, but we are found “Not Guilty” because our penalty has been paid, our punishment has been served, our sentence has been satisfied

Our advocate points out the blood spilled on our behalf and the change in verdict that should be applied because of the sentence He served in our stead

Jesus, our Advocate, the perfect defender, our lawyer in the final judgment who prepares the brief and wins our pardon because of His actions 2,000 years ago

Jesus is the judge but He is also our Advocate

When we believe in Him for our salvation we do not lose our case before the judgment seat

He finds us not guilty

Just imagine

Think about God our advocate today as you worship Him

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Devotional

Abba, Father.

Dad, daddy, pop, papa, what do you call your father informally?

When you climbed up in his lap as a kid and looked up into his face, what name did you use to get his attention?

That’s what Abba means.

Jesus addressed His Father, the Eternal God, the Creator of all things as Abba, Daddy

Expresses an intimate relationship between father and son

Compassion

Nurture

Me

ntoring

Protection

Sharing of values

Passing on a legacy from generation to generation

We are made in the image of God, Jesus is more than the image of God, He is God and calls the Father, Abba

He invites us into that kind of intimate relationship and come to know the Father as Abba

Know His love and compassion

Know His peace and protection

Learn of His legacy and loveliness

Let Him share His wisdom and pass on the knowledge He wants you to know

The Creator will embrace you as a loving father embraces his children

As daddy, papa, abba

With an intimacy only a perfect father can express to his children

No matter what you might be going through today, remember you have a loving Father in heaven who loves you enough to become flesh and blood to rescue you.

He loves you enough to wrap you in His strong arms and protect you from whatever you might be facing.

He wants you to know Him as Abba, daddy, papa

Worship the God of all creation today and get to know Him as Abba.

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

El-Olam, the everlasting God. Can we even begin to comprehend what that means?

Scripture

Isaiah 40:28-31

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Devotional

El-Olam, the everlasting God

Here is another one of those concepts we just can’t get our heads around

Everlasting, eternal, always

We base our concept of time on our lifespan because that’s the only reference we really have

That’s what we know

We try to imagine multiple generations and may have met our great- or great-great grandparents but even that timespan is difficult for us to comprehend

When the Bible talks about the earliest of God’s creation living 900 plus years, many think it a myth and can not understand how it is possible, nor what even a couple of centuries of life would be like

Everlasting? No comprehension

Even if we could imagine centuries or millennia and think back realistically to the age of the pyramids it doesn’t begin to compare with everlasting

The history of man is insignificant in terms of everlasting

The history of the planet is insignificant in terms of everlasting

The history of everything is insignificant relative to everlasting

Divide any amount of years by everlasting and the resulting fraction is so close to zero it might as well be zero. There is no comparison

As you begin to think about everlasting, remember our God is everlasting, He has no beginning and He has no end. He is more than everlasting, He is eternal.

Now as you let the concept of everlasting begin to overwhelm you, remember than the God we worship was and is and will be forever. A concept we really cannot understand but we can try. He is the God we worship. He is the God with infinite power and knowledge and wisdom and understanding because He has always been and always will be. He alone is eternal.

Worship El-Olam today.

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

The name for today, El-Shaddai. It can mean God of the mountains or more commonly translated God Almighty.

Scripture

Genesis 17:1; Psalms 91:1

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Devotional

El-Shaddai, God Almighty.

We hear that term a lot.

We hear the name so often we probably let it just slip off our tongue without really thinking much about it

God Almighty; Almighty God; the all-sufficient one; the one mighty to nourish, satisfy, and supply;

Maybe we should stop and consider just exactly what we’re saying when we characterize God with this title

Definition: having complete, unlimited power; omnipotent

Synonyms: all-powerful, omnipotent, supreme, preeminent

So again, what does that mean to you

He is able to supply your every need

He is able to nourish and satisfy the deep longings of your soul

He is able to defeat your enemies in impossible situations

He is able to bring hope when things seem hopeless

He is able to conquer your greatest fears

He is almighty, all-powerful, omnipotent, nothing can overcome Him

El-Shaddai spoke the worlds into place

He holds the power of the stars in His hands

He pushes back the oceans and releases the power of volcanoes

He makes grass grow through rock and makes the soft down on a duck’s belly

He is God Almighty, the all-sufficient one, the one mighty to nourish, satisfy, and supply your need

El-Shaddai put the mountains in place and causes them to crumble in the rain

He put the rivers in place and dries them up at his command

He heals when there seems to be no cure

He forgives and removes the burden of guilt from us

If El-Shaddai can do all those things, what are you facing that He cannot help you get through? What problem do you struggle with that He cannot help you conquer? Who is attacking you that you cannot overcome? What temptation are you facing that He cannot provide an exit for you?

The answer is simple. He is El-Shaddai, God Almighty. There is nothing beyond His capability because He is almighty, He has complete, unlimited power; omnipotent, supreme, preeminent.

He is able

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Devotional

El-Roi, the strong one who sees

I expect we have all hit that point in our life at one time or another when we think no one care about us. No one sees our plight. No one would notice if we just disappeared from the face of the earth.

Drama of the Old Testament

Unlike the stories of other heroes

Points out the flaws and failures of those we should emulate

Abraham, father of the Israelite nation

Promised a son who and progeny that would be the spark of a nation that was innumerable

At 100 he had no children

Sarah gives her maidservant to Abraham in an effort to help God along

Common practice for barren women

Servant acted as surrogate and their child became the heir of the estate

Adopted into the family

Hagar became arrogant and took liberties with Sarah she should not have taken

Sarah drove Hagar and Ishmael away

Hagar, though a servant, lived in luxury and wasn’t prepared to survive in the desert

Alone

Lost

Without hope

In despair, resigned to die in the wilderness

God, in His strength and power, sees her

God does not abandon her as Abraham did

God sees her despair and hopelessness

God recognizes her need

God intervenes and provides water and food for Hagar and Ismael

Important aspect of the story

God doesn’t take Hagar out of her difficult circumstances

He tells her to go back into the situation from which she fled

God puts her back under Sarah’s thumb

Bt with a promise

Ismael will also become a great nation, and he did

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."